Autonomous Vehicle Manual Takeover Control in Safe Lanes

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing autonomous vehicles lack a safe method for switching from autonomous driving mode to manual driving mode, leading to potential collisions due to unforeseen driving environments, such as sudden overtaking or braking by nearby vehicles.

Innovation Solution

An autonomous driving controller determines the driver's request for manual mode and safely switches the vehicle to a safe lane or place by communicating with a control center to identify a suitable lane or location, considering the vehicle's ability to reach it within a predetermined time, and verifies the driver's acceptance before changing modes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If switching to manual driving mode is performed unconditionally regardless of surrounding driving environment, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to potential collision accidents

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of mode switchingVSAvoiddriving safety
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary verification of the surrounding driving environment before allowing mode switching. The controller checks for nearby vehicles and evaluates whether the current environment is safe for manual mode transition, preventing unsafe switching before it occurs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system provides feedback to the driver regarding the safety status of mode switching. When the surrounding environment is unsafe, the controller notifies the driver and prevents mode switching, creating a feedback loop that ensures safety while maintaining operational control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If mode switching is restricted based on surrounding driving environment, then reliability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to additional constraints

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedriving safetyVSAvoidease of mode switching
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary verification of the surrounding driving environment before allowing mode switching. The controller checks for nearby vehicles and evaluates whether the current environment is safe for manual mode transition, preventing unsafe switching before it occurs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system provides feedback to the driver regarding the safety status of mode switching. When the surrounding environment is unsafe, the controller notifies the driver and prevents mode switching, creating a feedback loop that ensures safety while maintaining operational control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If the vehicle moves to a safe lane before switching modes, then reliability is improved, but loss of time increases due to lane changing operation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemode switching safetyVSAvoidtime for mode transition
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary verification of the surrounding driving environment before allowing mode switching. The controller checks for nearby vehicles and evaluates whether the current environment is safe for manual mode transition, preventing unsafe switching before it occurs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts the mode switching process based on real-time environmental conditions. When safe, switching occurs immediately; when unsafe, the system delays switching until conditions improve, creating a dynamic response that balances safety with time efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

4Reliability

If the vehicle moves to a safe place before switching modes, then reliability is improved, but loss of time and productivity deteriorate due to stopping operation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemode switching safetyVSAvoiddriving efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary verification of the surrounding driving environment before allowing mode switching. The controller checks for nearby vehicles and evaluates whether the current environment is safe for manual mode transition, preventing unsafe switching before it occurs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts the mode switching process based on real-time environmental conditions. When safe, switching occurs immediately; when unsafe, the system delays switching until conditions improve, creating a dynamic response that balances safety with time efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS20260084725A1Method of controlling switching to manual driving mode of autonomous vehicle
Publication Date: 2026.03.26 HYUNDAI MOTOR CO LTD
  • US20260084725A1 patent drawing
  • US20260084725A1 patent drawing
  • US20260084725A1 patent drawing

AI summary

A method of controlling switching to a manual driving mode of an autonomous vehicle, enables switching to the manual driving mode to be safely performed without interfering with a nearby vehicle in a safe lane or a safe place according to a surrounding driving environment by allowing a driver to select between switching to the manual driving mode while driving or switching to the manual driving mode after stopping to switch to the manual driving mode while the autonomous vehicle is driven in an autonomous driving mode.